Stafford

Stafford's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. At the same time there were changes in relationships, housing tenure and health.

The population passed 130,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Stafford increased by 8.5%, from just under 121,000 to 131,000.

The addition of about 10,000 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Stafford was home to, on average, 1.6 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Stafford

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Stafford increased by three years, from 40 to 43 years.

This affluent area had a higher average age than the West Midlands and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 4,500 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 13% of people in Stafford are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Stafford by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

Stafford saw the West Midlands' second-largest rise in the proportion of one-person households.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29%) households in Stafford had only one person, compared with 26% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising an unmarried couple increased from 8.0% to 9.5%.

Across the region, only Staffordshire Moorlands saw a greater rise in the proportion of one-person households (from 25% to 28%).

During this period, Stafford went from having the 20th-highest to the 13th-highest percentage of one-person households out of 309 English local authority areas.

The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Changing work life

The rate of self-employment increased in Stafford, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the West Midlands, except Lichfield.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of self-employed people, as the regional average grew from 7.4% to 8.5%.

The rate of self-employment was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were self-employed across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Stafford working less than 16 hours increased from 1.9% to 3.4% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in nine (12%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 14% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 1.7% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Stafford increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Stafford, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Stafford

The percentage of Stafford residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.0% to 3.7% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 8.0%, while the percentage of Stafford residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 89%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 3.5% in 2001 to 4.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Stafford that rented privately increased from 7.5% to 13% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage that lived in social housing remained close to 14%, while the percentage of Stafford households that owned their home decreased from 76% to 72%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 7.3% in 2001 to 14% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Stafford increased by 5.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Stafford, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Stafford residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.3% to 5.1% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70% in 2001. The percentage of Stafford residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Stafford decreased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Stafford, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Stafford

The number of people in Stafford from the White ethnic groups remained close to just over 120,000 between the last two censuses. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 97% to 95%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the West Midlands (from 89% to 83%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Stafford from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just under 1,400 in 2001 to about 3,300 in 2011 (from 1.2% to 2.5%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just over 1,000 to about 1,700 (from 0.8% to 1.3%).

Just over 1,100 people (0.5%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from just over 580 in 2001 (0.9%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Stafford decreased by 2.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Stafford by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

The percentage of adults in Stafford that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 9.8% to 11% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (52%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 57% in 2001. The percentage of single people in Stafford increased from 25% to 29%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 10% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 11% to 12%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Stafford

The number of people in Stafford that described themselves as Muslim increased from just over 500 in 2001 to just under 1,200 in 2011. This represents a change from 0.4% to 0.9% of the local population.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people from this religious group increased from 4.1% to 6.7%, while across England the percentage went from 3.2% to 5.2%.

The number of people in Stafford that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 96,000 in 2001 to just under 89,000 in 2011 (from 80% to 68%). The number of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from about 15,000 to just under 30,000 (from 12% to 23%).

Just under 8,700 people (6.6%) did not state their religion, up from about 8,000 in 2001 (6.6%).

The population who identified as Muslim in Stafford remained close to 0.9%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Stafford by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Stafford with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 9.7% to 9.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in four (27%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 29% in 2001. The percentage of households in Stafford without children increased from 62% to 64%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 10% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Stafford residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.3% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.9%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 1.2% in 2001 to 1.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Stafford remained close to 1.3%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Stafford by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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